crave-worthy chocolate chip cookies

as i sit here writing this, glancing at a small empty container with a few cookie crumbs in the bottom, i'm seriously regretting giving away 80% of this batch of cookies... because they turned out absolutely incredibly. they're seriously chocolatey, and perfectly tender with a little crisp on the edges and a bit of salty to balance the sweet. of course, a big part of the reason for giving them away is so i wouldn't eat the whole batch in one sitting... and this just proves i totally would have. thank goodness for neighbors!

it all started last night, when i stumbled upon smitten kitchen's review and re-posting of Ashley Rodriguez's chocolate chip cookie recipe. deb has been a favorite food blogger of mine since, well, way before i ever wanted to do this myself. i've been drooling over her photos and recipes, and making them over and over again for years. so when she went gaga for a cookie recipe from not without salt, another favorite blog of mine... i couldn't help but want to make them as soon as i possibly could.

enter the very next morning - first coffee, then cookies! thankfully, this recipe requires only one bowl and is super simple.

cream together butter and all three sugars, beating for at least 5 minutes with an electric mixer, stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or a really buff arm.

add egg and vanilla, and beat until just incorporated.

beat in baking soda and salt until fully combined.

mix in the flour on a low speed, until just incorporated.

using a spatula or wooden spoon, stir in chocolate until evenly distributed.

scoop cookies onto baking sheets lined with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. i used my ice cream scoop to do this to get big cookies and nice circles. sprinkle each cookie with a few flakes of salt.

bake at 360 degrees, for 10-12 minutes - until the edges just start to brown and the centers are still soft. let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.